Good Things
by Winds of Autumn
Summary: For once, Daryl doesn't fight good things happening to him. DarylxBeth
1. Chapter 1

Good Things

Chapter 1

AN: This is the first chapter, to see if there is any interest. I don't really have a specific idea of where this is going. It will be AU, where the prison does not fall and Beth is not killed by Dawn, that much I do know. Let me know what you all think :)

If someone asked him to explain what he had been thinking, he wasn't sure that his thought process at the time would make sense now. But maybe it would. In all his life he had never had anything good. Before the turn things had been bleak. Full of beatings in his youth, and following Merle around dealing drugs and scraping by in his adulthood. Things hadn't gotten decent for him until meeting Rick and discovering that he could become his own man, and that man could be a good one.

Sure, he still shyed away from physical contact and too much attention, but he didn't flinch when he did something nice for someone any more. He had stopped looking over his shoulder looking for his father, or Merle, ready to hurt him over showing what they deemed as weakness. He had learned that he wasn't weak, and that being a decent person wasn't bad. It was empowering.

So when she had come to him, all glowing with goodness and wanting him of all people, he hadn't been able to turn her away. He had immersed himself in her and soaked up her golden light and had felt loved for once in his life. And because he had liked it so much, he had told her they had to keep them a secret. He wasn't willing to give her up for the uprising he was sure would greet them if they were found out.

She was sweet little Beth Greene, and he was Daryl Dixon. They wouldn't understand. They would think he was forcing her, and they would force them apart. Just because the world had gone all to hell didn't mean people had stopped butting their nose where it didn't belong. He was technically old enough to be her father.

Her happiness was being noticed though. There was speculation about who might be causing it. The running leading guess was Zach. It was strange to hate a kid that young, but he did. Every time Daryl saw the kid strutting around following Beth he wanted to put his fist into his face. But then Beth would look up and give him that small smile meant only for him, and he kept walking pacified. She wasn't interested in Zach. She wanted him.

They had been seeing each other for two months now, secretly, and Daryl wondered if he should approach Hershell. He wanted to make Beth happy. He was starting to see how the suspicions of who was making her happy was getting to her. She still smiled brightly, still floated around as if on her own cloud that wasn't in the middle of this hell of walking flesh eaters, but there were starting to be bags under her eyes from being up at night with him just being together.

Chewing on his thumb as he kept his watch shift Daryl's mind wandered over the question again. Would trying to do the right thing, what would have been expected before the dead rose, ruin everything they had now? Would Hershell shoot him the second the words came out of his mouth? Even worse, would they make him go and leave Beth behind? He would rather cut his own arm off than do anything to make her cry. He cringed slightlly, habit nearly 35 years old still telling him that he was a pussy for feeling that way.

No, he thought. Being a pussy was making her keep hiding what they were, what they had. He would approach Hershell as soon as he was relieved from his shift. He would ask the man's permission to marry her, to make her happy in public and not hide anymore. He could only hope the man said yes.


	2. Chapter 2

Good Things

Chapter 2

AN: The follows and alerts for this are already amazing! Thank you! Please review :)

The group sometimes forgot that she wasn't a little girl, that she had been 17 when things had gone to hell in a hand basket about what she guessed was two or more years ago now. They didn't see her as an adult, as a valuable member of their developing family or anything more than an added responsibility that kept the more valuable ones free from caring for Judith. Not that she wasn't grateful to be alive at all, because she sure was, but she wanted to be aknowledged as an adult at least, if not a strong woman.

She wasn't sure she would ever be as strong as Maggie, or Sasha, or Carol. Or even Lori, who had fought and given her own life to see her daughter brought into their hellish world alive. That had taken strength. Keeping that baby when everyone had seen the strain it put on Rick during her pregnancy had taken strength. Helping them kill walkers and find food and keep watch and contributing to the group more than they had ever expected or allowed Beth to, even as her pregnancy advanced, had shown that Lori Grimes had been a strong woman.

But Beth was mostly content. Even if she wasn't as strong as those women, she had been entrusted with a life. Possibly the most important life in the group, for all little Judith represented-the hope, the good, the light, God, the future- in their darkened world. And when little Judy looked up at her, Rick's eyes shining with all the light that had been in Lori's eyes, and smiled that gummy drool dripping smile Beth saw that the future was bright. Beth saw that she wanted someone to share that eventual future with.

So her attention had turned to the man who had sent a storm of butterflies crazy in her belly the first time she had seen him, and every time since. She was sure he hadn't paid her much mind- seriously, he was older and could have had his pick of women, why would he notice her? He probably thought of her as a little girl.

She knew little about his past, about what had shaped him into the man he was now. Beth had watch his evolution from the farm to now, where he was looked to as a leader second only to Rick. She saw his uncomfortable shifting any time he was praised, or thanked for something he had done for the group. The way he avoided physical contact, even with Carol whom he was close to. The way he seemed constantly restless indoors, but outside his shoulders relaxed even as he faced off with walkers.

Beth had watched him for months before mustering up the courage to approach him. Of course they had talked before, had interracted, but never with her current intent in mind. Daryl was a good man, and she believed if he gave her the chance, she could make him see it like no one else could. Perhpas she could even make him happy, like a woman should make her man. She hoped he wouldn't laugh in her face and send her scurrying off like one of the children.

She had scrubbed extra clean in the shower that night, humming under her breath in attempt to calm her nerves. Talking to Daryl made her nervous, made her ultra aware of how her body awoke and responded to his. Goosebumps errupted when he spoke, the raspy southern drawl playing her body like an instrument. And that was just his voice.

Beth was by no means completely inexperienced, she and Jimmy had experimented with some things, but she had only ever felt Jimmy's touch on her body. Never a man, never a man like Daryl. If her body came alive with only his voice she knew that his touch would send her to the moon.

As she dried off, rubbing the last of the pretty scented lotion Maggie had brought back for her onto her body, Beth wished she had pretty clothes to wear too. She had found her cleanest, what she imagined most evocative clothes- a little pair of black shorts that she used for pajamas, and a tight ribbed white tank top. The top offered just enough cleavage to hopefully tempt him, while still staying modest. She left her hair down, towel drying it as much as she could, before she gathered her things and took them back to her cell.

Drawing in a deep calming breath, Beth made her way quietly down the cell block and up the stairs to the one Daryl had claimed. Her arguements for why swirled in her head as she pulled the sheet back and stepped inside. Daryl's back was to her his cross bow laying just next to him, his hand wrapped around the hilt of his knift. Her throat tightened at the sight of long jagged purple scars peeking out of his shirt. No wonder he slept with a knife.

"Daryl?" she whispered softly, cautiously approaching the bed. She saw his back tense as he came awake. "It's me, Beth," she added quickly for fear of being on the receiving end of his blade in the dark.

He grunted as he sat up, his eyes sharpening as they came to rest on her. Beth held her breath, feeling like his blue gaze was scorching her body. "What're ya doin here?" he all but growled, looking away and chewing on his thumb.

Beth stepped closer, hesitating a moment before sitting slowly on the bunk next to him. "I wanted to talk to ya," she said softly, looking down at her hands.

"Well, get ta it girl, don't got all night," he grumbled.

Nodding, Beth took a deep breath, her verbal arguements leaving her as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

AN: I know, cliffhanger! It was asked if their history would come out, and here is part of it. I'm starting to get a better idea of where this will go. I will probably finish up their history, bringing it back to Daryl in the first chapter and continue on from there. Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Good Things

Chapter 3

Being woken up by Beth had been unusual in itself. Daryl was always a light sleeper, awake before most people got close enough to lay eyes on him. He must have been that tired, to not have heard her. He had still been trying to clear the fog from his eyes when he had seen what she was wearing- or how little. Her long legs were pale but muscled from all the hard work demanded from her in the upkeep of the farm and now the prison. Her hips had shifted, curving up into her small waist and up to small but perky breasts. She didn't look like a child, but a young woman. Not the voluptuous women he had preferred, but a woman's body all the same, and not nearly as thin as one might have expected for their current world. And his body was making sure he knew it.

Daryl hadn't been very good with the ladies before the turn. Of course, he had had a few that he had seen regularly and they'd had a good time, but none he would have considered life sharing partner material. No, those had been purely physical. But this girl, this young woman, wasn't one of those women. She was the type that before, he would have seen perfectly at home behind a white picket fence with a yard full of kids, a mini van and a rich successful, doting husband. She wasn't a one night stand type.

He tried to pay attention to anything but her pale skin as he waited for her to spit out why she had woken him. And then, it was like he was tasting heaven. Sweet, merciful heaven. He wondered if this was a dream. If he had been bitten somewhere and he had woken in a dream and this was his torture, to feel heaven knowing he didn't deserve to. He stiffened up his hands lifting to her arms to pull her away when he felt her fingers slide into his hair. He almost moaned against her lips. No one had ever been so intimate with him. He had never imagined that anything had been missing in his life, in his prior experiences and in his wants until that moment. Her lips weren't nearly as experienced as some that he had met, but they were sweet and perfectly shaped against his. He could taste her want, her hope, her need.

The thought woke him and he jerked back, staring at her wide eyed. "Whadya think yer doin girl," he growled moving away from her and pacing the length of his room. This was bad. It was enough for her to have some sort of crush on him, but for him to respond? He was a sick old man. Her father was going to kill him.

"I'm tired of being alone," came her soft reply and he could swear he heard tears clogging her voice. He nearly swore. He knew what she meant. They were all alone, merely congregated together as a mismatch band of merrymen.

"Whadya mean alone? Yer dad and Maggie are here." He prayed, for maybe the second time in his life, that she didn't start crying. He didn't know how to deal with a woman crying, and he sure as hell didn't want to learn how.

"It's not the same. I... I want to be a woman to someone." Daryl watched her pull her knees up to her chest, looking very much a young scared girl that she obviously didn't want to be.

"What bout Zach? Or the guys from Woodbury?"

A small smile stole across her lips and she shook her head. "No... They only think they know what to do. I want a man... A man like you, Daryl," she said, lifting her eyes shyly to look at him. His groin tightened and that look, a mix of innocent and sultry that he was sure she didn't even know she could give.

Could he do it? Could he use her body, taste her innocence and still act as though nothing had changed? His body was screaming at him yes. And with her looking up at him like that, like he was some kind of hero, it made it hard for him to think straight. He had never had anyone look at him like that and it was a heady feeling. His body shifted closer to her on its own, pulled in like gravity toward her. As long as he kept things physical, as long as he didn't let her crush develop into anything more, maybe she would get bored with him and move on. The thought made his gut clench like he had been punched, but he knew he had nothing to give her. Relationships these days just didn't end well. Rick and Lori were proof of that, and they had been married before things went to shit.

Beth stood to meet him never breaking eye contact. Sensing his nervousness she was careful to keep still. He was in many ways a frightened animal. He inched closer, their breaths seeming to freeze in their lungs as his hand came up to cradle her face. Her skin was silky under his roughly caloused fingers, a foreign feeling that he had never thought he would know. Unbidden the impression of home drifted to him, but he pushed the thoughts away. Swallowing thickly before he could change his mind he stepped back.

"Tomorrow night, midnight. Meet me in the showers." He watched her blue eyes light up, fighting his bodys reaction. "This will just be sex, Beth," he warned, the light dimming slightly. She bit her lip again and nodded bravely, sticking her hand out to him.

"Deal," she breathed.

Daryl couldn't fall back to sleep after she left. He had lain on his bunk for an hour staring at the cracked dirty ceiling before he gave up and got dressed, heading outside to start his day. It was still mostly dark out but he had never slept well. Even as a kid he had been awake before dawn hoping to slip from his house before his dad returned home from the bar looking to start a fight with someone who wouldn't fight back.

He didn't mind the lack of sleep. It was less time for the nightmares to haunt him. Besides, the animals moved well in the early morning before it was light enough for them to be seen well. Maybe he would get lucky enough to get one today. They had been running slim on good meat lately, most times going without completely or dividing a few squirrels up into a stew big enough for everyone. They tried to make sure those who needed it most got it more often, the same with everything else that was in such short supply. Things were far better than they had been last winter on the road with a pregnant woman, though. He doubted things would reach that low again unless they were again on the road. He didn't think Rick would let that happen without a fight though.

Slipping through the darkened woods Daryl felt the pressure on his chest relax somewhat. The outdoors had always done that for him though. It was part of the reason he had been content to follow Merle around without much complaint. There were no limitations of a daily job, little to no obligations such as bills and time. Daryl had never been as much of a law breaker as Merle, had never been as deeply into drugs, but a 9-5 job and life had never appealed to him. The open road, the quiet of the woods, the solitude and absence of responsibility had been everything he had wanted.

Before.

Now, he would gladly go back and don a suit for a 9-5 job if that meant things hadn't gone to shit. If it meant Merle hadn't been cuffed to a rooftop because of his prejudices. If it meant that Beth could have finished her childhood and been happy.

He shook his head, ridding those thoughts from his head. He needed to be careful with her. Daryl Dixon didn't have much if any heart left, and it certainly wouldn't be pure and large enough to make someone like Beth Greene happy for very long. If he let her in any further he would be left behind broken and empty, not her.

AN: Thank you for all the reviews! I'm sorry its been a while. My kids got sick, then we got pregnant, then learned we are losing the baby. So its been hectic. Working on the next chapter now! Leave me a review :-)


	4. Chapter 4

Good Things

Chapter 4

AN: I do not own The Walking Dead, nor any of the characters depicted. Enjoy, and review.

Beth hadn't been able to sleep after her talk with Daryl. Her whole body had come to life, her skin humming and too tight. She laid on her bunk, arms crossed behind her head as she stared at the ceiling in thought. What would their first time be like? Would it be hurried and awkward? Had she misjudged Daryl in thinking that he was experienced? She didn't think so, but he wasn't much for public displays or being close to people, so it was a possibility even if she didn't think a large one. Even though he didn't display it, he exuded sexuality. He was sex, walking talking sex. She wasn't the only one who thought so.

No matter the root of their relationship, Beth had heard Carol talking to one of the Woodbury women about the men. Daryl and Rick had been their number one topic of discussion.

"Rick is handsome, but he is so... nice," Carol said as she scrubbed the plastic bowls they had scavenged and collected into a set large enough for everyone.

The brunette bobbed her head in agreement, taking the bowl and wiping it dry. "I think there is potential there, but its not raw like Daryl's," Cindy agreed. "They both look like they know their way around the bedroom. I think Rick would be slow. Make love." She set the bowls in the cabinet, smiling at Beth as she returned to helping Carol.

"Daryl would be..." Carol smiled and sighed longingly. Even though they were friends, she was a woman, and far from blind. She had been supressed with Ed, and since she had been freed from him, her personality wasn't the only thing that had been growing and changing. "He would be pure sin."

Cindy giggled next to her, nodding. "Have you seen his arms?" she gushed.

Beth tried not to react to what she was hearing. She knew that both men were fantisized about by the women there, but hearing it from a woman she had come to view as a second mother? It was weird. She couldn't disagree with their reviews on what sex with either man would be like. Beth could see Rick being slow and gentle, whereas everything Daryl did was done with total devotion. He would send a girl up in flames would be her guess.

Her stomach had tightened up then at the thought, and did so again as she smiled in the dark. Tomorrow night, she would know first hand what type of lover Daryl Dixon was. And she could only hope that she would be the only object of his attentions. She didn't like the idea of sharing much. Not that he was hers, per se, but she wasn't willing to share him all the same. Not that she would share that thought with him. This was an arangement, not a relationship after all.

Fragmented fantasies flittered in and out of her mind as she laid there, waiting for the sun to rise to start counting down the hours to midnight. She would no longer be a virgin after tomorrow. She hoped he wouldn't mind that she was. All her life she had been taught that her virginity was something special, and while she still believed it was, she didn't want to die without experiencing the physical intimacy that sex brought. She had waited this long, and she chose Daryl. Even if he didn't have feelings for her, Beth felt something for him.

She wasn't quite ready to label those feelings, she knew they weren't 'love' yet, but they went beyond those that she had for the other male members of the group. In her heart Beth felt as if this was the right thing to do. Her father had always told her that she had been strong in a way different than Maggie. She followed her heart, she believed even when others didn't, she saw the good in everything. Even when her family had all believed that she and Jimmy would be married after high school, she hadn't let him take her virginity. It hadn't been right, in her heart it hadn't been right.

So why was she willing to give it to the rough and rowdy redneck?

Her heart said so.

If she ever told anyone, they would have locked her up and thrown out the key. They already thought she was too weak to do anything but look after Judy. If she told them that she was falling for a man twice her age, with a complicated rocky history, who disappeared for days on end in a walker infested forest to hunt by himself, they would probably think the fever had stared without her being bitten.

But like her daddy had always told her, she saw the good in everyone, including Daryl Dixon. Even if no one else could, she did. It was the little things he did; the way he brushed off praise when he went out of his way for someone, his determination to hunt and provide for such a large group, his fierce protectiveness of their family, the respect he had for each and every one of their smaller immediate family, going without so the older and younger members could have more. Even though his father and brother hadn't been his example, Daryl was an honorable man.

Maggie's head appeared at the entrance to her cell, a saucy grin on her lips. "Hey sis, you been up long?"

Beth momentarilly panicked, wondering if perhaps Maggie had heard her proposition Daryl. The panic subsided as she realized if Maggie had, she wouldn't be smiling. "Not too long. Just woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep. What's up?" Now that others were waking, it was safe to rise as well. She rolled out of bed and beckoned Maggie inside and started to change into her day clothes.

"Well, I talked daddy into letting you go on a run today with me, Glenn, Daryl, Shasha and Tyresse. What do you think?" Maggie's eyes sparkled in her excitement. Beth gasped, running to her sister and hugging her tightly.

"Oh my god, how did you manage that?" Beth hadn't kept it secret from Maggie that she wanted to be more involved and useful. She couldn't believe her sister had talked her dad into letting her go! "Does everyone else know?"

"Yes, they know. They're all glad. Sasha wants to show you how to use the rifle, and Ty said he would help you out with hand to hand stuff." Maggie linked her arm with Beths, leading her out into the walk and toward breakfast. "It will be a short run, we just need to grab whatever food we can and more linens and clothes. Medicine. You know, anything useful."

Beth nodded, nervous and giddy at the same time. She had to make sure she didn't do anything stupid today. Daryl would be there, and would be watching. "When do we leave?" she asked, double checking her knife on her belt as they entered what had become their main meeting and dining quarters. Carol was already there, Judith on her hip, as well as Sasha and Tyresse who were double checking their various weapons.

"Now," Maggie grinned, handing her a Smith and Wesson .44 pistol and a second knife. "Lets go."

Following the others outside Beth watched as Daryl slammed the hood shut on one of their cars, his eyes meeting hers briefly before flying away. Her heart thudded in her chest and she shook herself slightly. This wasn't about Daryl. This was about her. This was about proving herself, learning, becoming stronger. Squaring her shoulders, she climbed into the second cars back seat behind Maggie and Glenn, and stared out the window as they left the safety of the prison fences.

Beth didn't know what she had expected, for there surely wasn't magic inbued in the fences, but other than the rising sense of alert that grew as the vehicle moved further up the road and away from the complex, there was nothing different on this side of the fence. She hadn't been outside the walls since entering, as most of the others had on at least one occassion. She tried to keep track of their direction and the roads they took, for one could never be too careful these days, listening to the idle talk between Maggie and Glenn. She hoped that she wouldn't be a burden today. She prayed that things would go smoothly, and without incident.

"Nervous?"

Beth jerked her gaze up to meet her sister's green eyes, shrugging a shoulder slightly. "A little," she admitted.

Maggie smiled in understanding. "Just keep close, listen to us, and always aim for their heads," she encouraged as the car slowed to a crawl and then a stop behind the other car. They piled out slowly, Beth pulling the knife from the sheath at her hip and gripping it tightly as they others readied their weapons as well.

It was like watching a tactical team from a movie, Beth thought as she watched them anticipating and directing each other without words. Glenn took the lead, Maggie just behing him beside Sasha. Tyresse moved behing her, winking at her with a reassuring grin, as Daryl stepped beside her and didn't even spare her a glance. Beth was surprised that he hadn't taken the lead, but she wasn't sure what their normal routine was either. Maybe they thought he was the best equiped to protect her and himself if the need arose. She wasn't sure what she thought of that, and filed it away to think of later, concentrating on the task at hand.

"Stick close," Daryl said low, pushing a canvas bag at her. She nodded, clutching the bag in one hand and her knife in the other as they crept into the parking lot. It was a ghost town, filled with deserted cars, most of which the doors were still open. Weather had taken the luster out of the newer ones, the earth growing closer and attempting to reclaim those parked closest to the edges. Beth's blue eyes moved so quickly in every direction she almost made herself dizzy. So far so good, no movement and no sign of walkers.

Sasha paused ahead of her, stooping to pick up an empty can. If it came to it, the can could be used as a noise distraction. The group crept toward what had once been a super store, the front doors the motion sensored ones that opened and closed on their own. Without power, they would have to push them open. Beth was mildly surprised the glass was still intact, but considering how thick it was, perhaps it wasn't so surprising afterall. They formed a circle, making sure each direction was being watched, while Glenn tapped on the glass to lure any walkers inside to the front. After several moments, he repeated the action, and two lone walkers appeared. They were gaunt and thin, even for undead, and Beth wondered if they had been trapped inside since the beginning.

Wordlessly, Sasha and Tyreese moved to open the doors while Glenn and Maggie took out the two walkers. They moved them inside, near the doors but not blocking them incase they had to escape quickly, and they split into two groups. Beth shifted to follow Maggie, who was with Glenn and Sasha, but Daryl's rough hand gripped her elbow and he shook his head pulling her along with him. "Look for medicine, food, and clothing," he directed quietly as he let his hand fall from her elbow.

Beth swallowed thickly and nodded, ignoring the tingling feeling that was radiating out from her elbow. Her arm, her shoulder, her chest to her breasts was throbbing, her nipples hard and straining against her bra and tightening with every brush against the material. Holy cow, she thought, biting her lip. Tyreese stopped short in front of her, and Beth nearly ran into the back of him. She shook her head clear and concentrated. This was not the time to be distracted!

Ty glanced at Daryl and gestured toward the sporting goods and broke off, leaving Daryl and Beth alone. Daryl kept walking keeping his crossbow up and at the ready. Beth kept her eyes off him as she followed, trying her best to remain alert. She would be useful.

They reached the medical supplies with no problems, and Beth immediately opened the canvas bag and moved forward to stuff tubes of antibiotic cream, bandages, and anything else that looked remotely useful into the bag. She paused, frowning slightly, and stepped back to look at the shelf. It was, for the most part, still fully stocked. "Daryl?" she whispered, the back of her neck prickling. She zipped up the bag as he turned and lifted a brow, his gaze cutting to the shelf and back to her. She saw the understanding dawn, the tension take over his body as he shifted closer to her.

Beth shifted the bag onto her back, glad for once that it wasn't loaded to bursting as they sometimes returned, and drew her gun as her eyes swept the rest of the darkened store. There was too much remaining inside. She wasn't sure why no one had noticed before now, desperation maybe, but something was off. Daryl tilted his head, gesturing her to stick close as he stepped back into the main aisle and whistled just loud enough to be heard. Beth turned so her back was against Daryl's, her heart pouding as her instincts and anything she had ever picked up watching TV took over.

A whistle answered, and then all hell broke lose.


	5. Chapter 5

Good Things

Chapter 5

AN: Thank you so much for the reviews! I was inspired, and here is another chapter. :-) Enjoy, and don't forget to review! Also, I realize that I've been spelling Tyreese's name wrong, and I apologize. It will be correct from now on.

Beth sat huddled in the back seat of the car, almost in Daryl's lap with Sasha squished in between them and Ty, covered in coagulated stinky walker blood. She wasn't sure she could acurately relay what had happened back in the store. Wasn't sure she wanted to remember for a while, at least until she had washed the stench and filth from her skin and hair. She floated in a haze, not completely hearing what they were saying around her, not really thinking or feeling in that moment.

At the very least, she could recall that she hadn't frozen up until they were all safely squeezed into the one vehicle and speeding away. The second car had been left behind in the rush, but they would try to return for it later. They hadn't lost anyone, at least. But there was a new threat. Beth shied away from those thoughts, pulling closer to the comforting warmth that seemed to surround her, soothing the blooming soreness in her body as her eyes stared unseeing out the window.

Coming as close as they had today reaffirmed in her mind that she wasn't willing to go any longer without experiencing anything. Granted, there were things that were no longer possible, but the things that were still within her reach she wouldn't just wonder about any more. She would know what pleasures her body could experience, not just the tingled and tightentings and longings that left her feeling unfulfilled. She would no longer hide and be afriad. It was time to shed the invisible mantle of 'delicate' and 'to be protected' and become her own protector. She had taken a large step toward that today.

Daryl watched Beth as they rode back mostly quiet. He was sure Beth had fallen into some sort of shock, but was willing to give her until they got back to the prison to come out of it on her own. She had surprised him today, and not much surprised him these days. He hated to admit that when he had leared she would be going on the run with them that he had expected her to feeze up when she was faced with a walker. She hadn't. In fact, if he was completely honest with himself, she had probably saved his ass.

He didn't know why they had chosen to visit a store they had never visited before, with Beth who had never been on a run before even, but they had. He was equally unsure why his usually sharp instincts hadn't alerted him earlier, why they hadn't awoken until Beth had caught his attention with the fully stocked medical shelf. Then his whole body had come to life, burning with the sense of wrongness that permeated the store.

There had been signs of the end of the world inside, but the store hadn't been picked clean like everywhere else they had been lately. In fact, it looked like the shelves had just been restocked and the employees had just forgotten to clean. And only two walkers inside, with none outside? He wanted to kick his own ass for even entering the store in the first place.

So when Daryl had signalled for the others, and the signal had come back, he had been ready to leave without the supplies that they needed but would be okay without, when Tyreese had come running toward them waving his arms and panting hard with a pack of ten or more walkers behind him. They had looked fresh, well fed, and were quicker than those that were starved. The three had taken off, yelling a warning to the others as they headed for the front doors.

Daryl would never forget the feeling of helpless rage at seeing their exit blocked off with the trailer of a semi truck parked in front of the doors and more walkers suddenly in the parking lot. Dispatching the ten in the store hadn't been so hard with five of them skilled in their demise, and even Beth's unrefined combat helped. She hadn't hesitated, and for that he was proud of her. It was the group of men that had posed a problem.

As long as he lived, Daryl would never be able to shake the vision of them holding Beth tightly, a knife to her throat and hands roaming her body, or the terror and repugnance in her blue eyes.

His arms tightened, reflexively pulling her slender body closer to him. When they had managed to break free and make it to the car, Daryl hadn't been willing to let go of Beth to even let her sit with her sister. It seemed the reflex was mutual, for she hadn't let go of his wrist either.

"Do you think there is more of them?" Sasha asked finally, breaking the silence.

Ty grunted, turning from the window to look at his sister. "The way they talked, the way it was all set up... There has to be. We can't afford to think otherwise," he said.

They fell silent again, each thinking about the group of men and how best to protect their family at the prison.

Daryl went back to watching Beth, wondering when he had slipped and let himself start caring for her. He supposed it had always been there, growing and changing like some live thing. It was hard not to care for her. At first it had been small, only caring because she was part of the group. And then, because she was the closest thing to a mother Judy had. Then because she was goodness and light, and so damn optimistic that it hurt. And now? He had promised her that he would show her how a man kept a woman from being lonely, and he had known damn well at the time that it wouldn't be him hurting her. He could spend the rest of his no good life trying to make her happy, and if she was he would be the happiest man in the world. But she wouldn't be, not with him, because he couldn't give her what she needed no matter how hard he tried.

He hadn't been raised, he had grown and raised himself. He had learned things on his own that a kid his age never should have known. He hadn't been pampered, and coddled, and taught what love and God and good things were. No, he knew that feelings only ended in pain. Even his feelings for his brother had ended in pain when Merle had died, courtesy of his prejudiced upbringing that had never left him.

No, Beth was a woman that needed a man who knew how to love her, and could show her that love. As hard as Daryl might try to make her happy, he would never know the right thing to do or say. He would never be whole. He would enjoy her while she wanted him, and when she was gone he would hold the memories tight to hold the hurt at bay. At least her first time would be gentle, and not forced.

Every time he thought about the intentions the men had made clear, he wanted to kill them all over again, and more slowly each time.

Daryl was pulled from his thoughts as the car slowed to a stop. They were at the prison again. He frowned, shaking his head. He must have been really out of it to have not kept track of where they were.

Rick was walking toward them, in that slow gait remniscent of his lawman days, a frown marring his face as he considered them all packed into one vehicle. Glenn opened his door, kneeling next to Daryl's leg to look at Beth.

"I think she's in shock," he said quietly, hoping Maggie wouldn't over hear him. Daryl nodded, shifting on the seat with Beth in his lap.

"Grab m'bow," he grunted at Glenn, stepping out and adjusting Beth so she was cradled in his arms. "Where's Hershel?"

Rick frowned deeper, the curiosity in his eyes as he looked them all over. It was obvious they had run into trouble, and seeing Beth curled up in Daryl's grip with a blank face was troubling. "In the meal hall. Come on, well get her settled and then talk," he said, falling into step beside Daryl as they made their way back into the prison.

Hershel jumped up when he saw them enter, his face sliding into an unreadable mask as Daryl carried Beth closer. "Is she bit?" he demaned, helping settle her on the table.

"Nah, just in shock I think," Daryl supplied, starting to step back. "She did good, didn't freeze up until after." He was careful to keep his pride in her to himself. Maybe she wasn't quite as delicate and useless as they all pretended she was.

Leaving Beth with her father and sister, Daryl stepped to the other side of the room where Rick was already speaking in low tones to Ty and Glenn. The trap needed to be addressed now. It couldn't wait. As if there wasn't enough to worry about with the undead and low supplies, now there was another group out there willing to kill them to take what little they had.

"There were three of them, well armed. Mean. They... they weren't shy about letting us know what their intentions were, especially with Beth," Glenn was telling Rick as Daryl slid into a seat next to them. Rick's gaze hardened, his jaw muscle starting to tic in agitation.

"She sure wasn't gonn' give up withou' a fight, though," Daryl added, grinning slowly remembering how she had suddenly come alive with fire and caused enough of a distraction for them to get close enough to take the men out. Well, two of the men anyway. Beth's knife had ended up in the heart of the mean tatted man that had been freely groping her body.

Rick quirked a brow at him, seeing Glenn's lips tug up in a small smile too. "She needs some training, some direction, but she killed that bastard before we had gotten the other two taken care of," Glenn informed him. Rick's eyes widened for a moment before he too grinned slightly. They were all proud of her.

"I think thas' why she's in shock," Daryl added, glancing back toward where Hershel had finally gotten Beth to sit up and lift her own cup to her lips.

"That's hard on anyone, let alone on her first time out and feeling like she was going to be..." Rick broke off, unwilling to say the word. Sasha dropped into the seat next to Rick.

"We need to start training everyone in the basics. It's not safe out there, Rick. Not for anyone anymore. Any one who can hold a weapon needs to be taught.

Rick nodded. "We'll figure it out tomorrow. There is too many to teach everyone at once. We'll split them up by age and ability, defense basics first and walker killing second. Then weapons. Until then, we'll double our watch. Go get cleaned up and get some rest. Michonne and I will take night shift tonight."

The haze of grey was starting to clear so that Beth could see clearly again. She saw her fathers face, aged and lined with worry as his lips moved. She could barely hear him, like his voice was coming from far off. Would he still love her when he heard? Would he blame her for the blood on her hands when the truth came out? She shivered, the reflex jerking the cup of water in her hands and sending water spilling over the edge and onto her lap. It wasn't cold, more lukewarm, but the sensation was shocking all the same.

Reality slammed into her, bright and shockingly clear. It made her eyes hurt and she closed them a moment, shifting a hand to grip the edge of her seat to plant herself more firmly. Her mind whirled, pictures of blood and gore and snapping teeth and sun baked tattoos snaking around her slim torso. Her throat tightened and she wrenched her eyes open, a cry caught in her throat.

"Beth!" Maggie cried, standing in front of her suddenly hands gripping her tense shoulders. "Its okay, we're home. We're safe."

The words penetrated her brain slowly, the tension leaving her body gradually. "Maggie?" she whispered, her own hands coming up to clutch at her sisters clothing.

"Hey hey, its okay," Maggie whispered, hugging her close. "Lets go get cleaned up, and then we'll lay down and take a nap, okay? Like when we were little, do you rememeber?" Maggie's arm slipped around her waist helping support her and steady her as they stood. Hershel watched, concerned for his youngest daughter, as his oldest led her away toward the showers.

Beth pushed all the thoughts of the run out of her head, determined not to think about it. The man she had killed had deserved to die, but she couldn't believe she had done it. She had been taught to walk away from conflict and let God deal out His justice. Killing walkers was a far cry different than killing another live human being. It was against the commandments. She had stained her soul when his had left his body. She cringed, turning her face up to the barely warm water coming out of the shower head Maggie had ushered her under.

Taking hold of the bar of soap, she lathered it and started srubbing at the large stains of blood and goo on her clothes, deciding it would be best to wash them before taking them off since she was already in them and wet. She felt Maggie hovering beside her, doing much the same thing as she was, but paying close attention to her. Probably wondering if she would lose it and try to cut herself again.

Beth winced at the reminder of her past weakness. She had grown so much since then. She didn't want to die. Was she alright, then, with her soul being stained by murder in order to live? She pondered that, circling the question as she showered. It was late afternoon by now, and dinner would be prepared shortly. She wouldn't go, she decided. She would eat in her room, afraid that if she went everyone would magically see the word 'murderer' written across her forehead. No, she would hide, and try to come to terms with this new mark against her. An invisible scar to match the now barely visible one on her inner wrist.

Attempted suicide and murder. Two sins that would forever mark her. That might keep her from joining her mother and brother in heaven. If there was such a place. She wasn't entirely sure she believed as fiercely as she once had. Even if the belief wasn't as steadfast, Beth still mourned the potential loss of her entrance there. Her mother would be so disappointed in her.

"Come on, before you catch a cold," Maggie said, appearing at Beth's side with a clean towel that had been faded by stains and age. She was already dried and dressed in fresh clothes, also bearing the strain of age. Beth nodded, reaching to turn the faucet off and letting Maggie help her dress and leading her back to Maggie and Glenn's cell.

"I just want to be alone right now. I will see you in the morning," Beth told Maggie, not missing the disappointment and worry that shone in her green eyes as she hugged her waist. "I just need some time to think, thats all," she assured her sister, giving her a quick hug before making her way down to her cell. Pulling the door closed behind her she lay down on her bunk, where just that morning she had been dreaming about what it would feel like to have Daryl Dixon make a woman out of her. She shivered, turning onto her side and squeezing her eyes closed. There was only a few hours to make peace with herself before she was due to meet him that night, if he still showed up.

AN: Until the previous chapter, I hadn't been sure of where I wanted this to go other than Daryl and Beth coming together. Since adding in the other group, I've decided that this group will be a darker version of the Governor's second group.


End file.
